Guards for 2x72?

T

The Mighty Ginsu

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Aug 11, 2016
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I spent time yesterday Googling belt grinder safety, including reading a number of Bladeforums threads. I learned a lot, but I have a question.

I read that grinding belts can snap and hit the operator. The grinder I just got has no guards on it, and a lot of 2x72 grinders come the same way. I'm wondering...do I need to fabricate guards for my platen and the contact wheel I'm going to get?

I was thinking I could make simple L-shaped rods that attach to the existing hardware and extend across the belt, in front of the upper wheel or the top of the contact wheel. This ought to kill the forward momentum of a flying belt without interfering with belt changes.

Definitely planning to avoid standing in front of the grinder!
 
Unfortunately if you're going to be grinding a knife you'll spend 90% of your time in front of the grinder. I'm sure there are horror stories of snapped belts injuring someone but that's probably the exception to the rule. These have been around for a while and if it was truly an issue the industry would have to work those kind of safeties in. ++ for the thinking safe and by all means do what makes you comfortable but for me I'll just stick to personal eye, ear, and dust protection. Good luck and have fun whatever you do!
 
I use one of these Bee grinders. They have a bunch of guards in place. They do slow down belt changes though. Just some more options for you.

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Buying quality belts will reduce your chance of breakage pretty significantly, IMO, though sooner or later it happens to everybody. The few times I've broken a belt have been from inadvertently wedging something between the platen and work rest, or sharpening edge up on a thin belt and cutting it in half. Belt splices can and do fail on their own, but it's USUALLY from old belts, or belts that have been poorly stored.

My grinder has a 100lb gas spring, and I think I've only broken one belt on it, which, IIRC was tearing/cutting the belt with a sharp edge of whatever I was grinding on.

There's a small chance that you might get slapped with a belt, but there's also a chance that it will break and nothing will happen. Some guys wear billed hats to minimize getting slapped in the forehead. Safety glasses should be worn at a minimum, though this is advice I don't always follow myself, if I'm being honest, as I tend to fog up pretty easily.

Feel free to make some guards if you think it necessary, but if you grind anything like I do, you'll probably find they get in the way pretty quickly. For the very rare occurrence that it might actually help (or not) I just don't think it'd be worth it for me.
 
Check out the TW90 guard. It helps prevent grit and sparks from hitting you and has prevented me from getting hit by every belt that has broken.
 
I've had several belts break over the years. Only remember getting walloped once. I do always wear safety glasees, and a brimmed hat. Last week I had a batch of bad 220 grit belts. They must of been made on Mon by the new guy. The splice was backwards from the arrow. Broke several pretty darn quick before I got it figured out and started running em backwards. Anyhoo point is I never got hit. Guards on the grinder would be a hinderence to me. Most of my grinding I stand directly in front of the grinder. The only time I'm off to the side is grinding a leather roundknife or a hoofknife. Those things like to get caught on a belt and launched.
 
I appreciate that tip about the TW90 guard. I didn't realize that was a good location for a guard. It's a whole lot easier to make one guard for that wheel than a different guard for every tool.
 
Me too.

Guards on a 2x72 are like guards on a brake press, in my opinion.
 
Full face respirators are great. They protect you and don't fog up much at all. I always grind with mine.


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I wear this when grinding - it is surprisingly comfortable: 3M G500 It also gives a much better protection than simple glasses (which do not sit well on the half-face mask anyhow). It also has has ear protection (not shown in the link above) which is nice too.
 
E.Carlson said:
My full face respirator is my guard.
Click to expand...

If you study industrial safety;

The respirator is actually PPE



Safety is comprised of layers.
PPE is the last layer.


The idea is to eliminate danger before it gets to you.
Eliminate the danger

then Machine guards

then PPE





bla bla bla
 
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I always have a work surface in front of the platen, so a broken belt isn't going far. use common sense, something Site Safety Officers don't have much of the time. position your grinder where you won't reach across the belt when it is running. put a bucket to catch sparks. if belt driven, put a guard over it. make sure the grinder is bolted down and if on a stand the stand is bolted down, especially if you want to run your motor 4000 rpm.
 
A broken belt at full sped is startling, but the damage isn't to your face ... it is to your pants ... which you usually have to go change.
 
I've had 3 or 4 belts break since I started making. Therefore, IMO, its not an issue. I did get hit in the forearm by one once. It was much like a brush burn from falling off a bike. No biggie. Working knives you get cut up and scraped. NOW, I make all my employees wear full face respirators. This is because The biggest danger is to your eyes. In fact the only accident that has ever sent anyone to a Dr was a guy wearing safety goggles. A piece of dust just got behind the goggles and into his eye. Of course, he rubbed it and made it worse. This doesn't happen with a full face respirator. AND a guy never forgets to put on his goggles.
 
A few months back a belt snapped on me and I took a nasty slap across the arms. It stung pretty bad for a few days and bruised up a little but there was no real damage done, although I am certain that if it hit your face it could take an eye. That being said I wear a full face shield when operating the grinder and to be perfectly honest, the idea of getting fingers or clothing sucked into grinder gaurds sounds worse than what a broken belt could do to you.
 
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